Apparatus for developing a pattern on a surface of a textile material

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CONTRASTING EFFECTS SUCH AS COLORED DESIGNS AND PATTERNS IN OR ON MATERIALS PERMEATED WITH SOLUTIONS OF DYES, PIGMENTS OR CHEMICALS BY CONTACTING THE MATERIAL WITH A HEATED DIE HAVING THE DESIRED PATTERN. THE ELEVATED TEMPERATURES OF THE HEATED DIE CAUSE FLASH EVAPORATION OF THE MOISTURE IN THE MATERIAL, WHEREBY THE PRODUCTS MIGRATE TO, AND ARE INTENSIFIED AT THE HEATED CONTACTED SURFACES.

Jan. 1971 s. H.WILLIAMS ETAL ,56

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING A PATTERN ON A SURFACE- OF A TEXTILE MATERIALFiled Feb. 7. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 :IIIJ

IN VENTORS Sumner Henry Williams BY Joseph Reid Ellis ATTORNEY km. 19,1971 -s. H. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,555,856

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING A PATTERN ON A 'SURFACE- OF A TEXTILE MATERIALFiled Feb. '7. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR.

Sumner Henry Williams 1*?3 BY Joseph Reid Ellis ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1971s. H.w|u .1AM ETAL Q 3,555,355

N ON A SURFACE AL APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING A PATTER OF A TEXTILE MATERIFiled Feb. 7, 1967 v 3 Sheets-$heet 5 INVENTORS Sumner Henry Williams BYJoseph Reid Ellis AT-TORNEY United States Patent 3,555,856 APPARATUS FORDEVELOPING A PATTERN ON A SURFACE OF A TEXTILE MATERIAL Sumner HenryWilliams, Short Hills, N.J., and Joseph Reid Ellis, Easton, Pa.,assignors to GAF Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled Feb. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 614,520 Int. Cl. D06c 23/ 00; D06p 7/00 US.CI. 68-13 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus forproducing contrasting effects such as colored designs and patterns in oron materials permeated with solutions of dyes, pigments or chemicals bycontacting the material with a heated die having the desired pattern.The elevated temperatures of the heated die cause flash evaporation ofthe moisture in the material, whereby the products migrate to, and areintensified at the heated contacted surfaces.

The present invention relates to a process for producing patterns,physical effects or designs on materials and to an apparatus forcarrying out the process, and more particularly to a process forproviding patterns of enhanced or intensified color on cloth and othertextile materials, with respect to the background, and for provid ingpatterns in contrasting, multi-shade or variable physical effects onsuch fabric materials.

In the customary practice of dyeing fabrics with water soluble dyes by acontinuous process the fabric is passed through a trough containing adye whereby the fabric is padded to a substantially uniform shade orintensity. The fabric as it is removed from the trough is, of course,saturated with the dye solution and in some processes is first dried orsemi-dried before further treatment. When water soluble dyes in adispersed or pigment form are applied to a fabric, the excess liquid issqueezed off and the fabric is dried or semi-dried for best resultsbefore reduction and further processing including drying as a finalstep. The first drying step, in all cases, is carried out by controlledheating systems, which may consist of a series of heated cylinders, hotair ovens, or a combination of both. In these systems, it is necessarythat many of the physical parameters, which determine the first dryingstep, i.e. temperature, air velocity, speed of the web, etc. becarefully controlled to prevent color migration which would result inuneven coloring of the fabric. Moreover, to produce fabrics containingpatterns, designs, physical or other similar effects, where contrastingeffects or color variances in intensities are required, it hasheretofore been customary to achieve these effects by weaving variouscolored yarns in the desired design, or by printing the designs onto thefabric, or by weaving color effect threads and then overdyeing thefabric or by embossing designs under large pressures. All of thesemethods have proven to be costly in both time and money.

In accordance with the present invention, the phenomenon of chemicalmigration, which has been mitigated and avoided in the prior art, isutilized to produce the desired patterns or designs which haveheretofore been woven, printed or embossed on the fabric, as mentionedabove. The chemical migration is effectuated by contacting a moistfabric impregnated with a dye, pigment or other chemical suitable forchanging the color or physical effect of the fabric with a heated diehaving the desired pattern or design. Upon contact of the die to thefabric, the unfixed color or chemical products contained on or in themoist fabric, migrate to the heated contacted surface, and thereby causepredominance and intensity of color or physical effects between thecontacted and uncontacted 3,555,856 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 surfaces ofthe fabric. For the purpose of the present specification, the term dyeis intended to mean products applied to the fabric whether visuallycontrasting in color with the raw material as received or not. Inaddition to dyes and pigments, desirable changes may be produced by themigration of resins or other chemical products that will migrate in muchthe same fashion as dyes and pigments, and thus produce a contrast incolor or other physical effects in or on fabrics.

Apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, for producing rapidmigration by fast or even flash evaporation, and thereby obtaining thedesired patterns, design, or shade effects, on fabrics such as yarns,tapes, ribbons, fibers, cloth, paper, plastic or the like, may comprise,a feeding device for feeding the material to a trough containing thecoloring solution (dye, pigment, etc.), a heated die with the desiredpattern and which is preferably a roller device heated to a temperatureranging from 350 F. to 1,000 F., and an egress device for transportingthe fabric from the die. In operation, fabric which has been impregnatedwith the coloring solution in the trough is fed to the rotating heateddie. Upon contact of the fabric with the die, flash evaporation andproduct migration occurs at the surface area contacted, therebyproducing the desired color intensity or physical effects.

Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide amethod and apparatus for applying color intensity patterns to fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for applyingpatterns or designs to a fabric by utilizing controlled color migration.Still another object of the invention is to provide a method forapplying a pattern or design to a fabric by color migration wherein boththe background and the intensifying color effect may be achieved in thesame operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for enhancing orintensifying colors on a fabric with respect to the background.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description of thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the apparatus used to carry out theprocess according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of apparatus useful to carry outthe process;

FIG. 3 illustrates apparatus useful for providing a plurality ofpatterns;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of apparatus for applying atwo-sided pattern or plain shade development;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a pattern-carrying roller;

FIG. 6 illustrates the type of pattern which may be obtained aftercontacting a moist fabric impregnated with a dye with the heated rollerillustrated in FIG. 5;

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views thereis shown in FIG. 1 a continuous web of material, such as a web of fabric10, which may for example be cotton twill. The web is passed over asuitable input roller 11 into a pad box or dye vat 12, filled with asolution of dye, or pigment dissolved or dispersed in a suitablesolvent, such as water, chemical solvent or the like. The particular dyeand the solvent used, whether it is a dispersion or a true chemicalsolution, will depend on the material of the web 10, and the color orphysical effect to be obtained. The only important requirement which thepresent invention places on the nature of the solvent and of the dye,pigment or chemical is that after having been applied to web 10 the dyepigment, or chemical have the property to migrate in the web, under theinfluence of heat. The web 10 is padded or passed through the pad box 12over rollers in a suitable manner and as well-known in the art, and notfurther described in detail. Web 10, upon leaving the pad box 12 in theregion 10 is passed over a pair of squeeze rollers 14, 15 where aportion of the solution is removed to control the moisture content ofthe web. Thus, at station 10 the moisture content of the web iscontrolled to be in the region of 75% of the Weight of the material, andpreferably is con trolled or that it is in the range of about 30% to125% of the weight of the material. Rollers 14. 15 are preferablyarranged in such a manner that any excess dye solution is returnedautomatically, for example, by gravity as shown in FIG. 1, to pad box12.

Web I10, after leaving station 10 is passed over a group of tensionrollers generally designated by reference numeral '17 which, as is wellknown in the art, also act as compensators. The tension rollers may bespring loaded or otherwise suitably arranged to maintain proper positionand tension within web 10. The web then passes over a guide roller 18and then over a pair of guide rollers '19*, 19 arranged on either sideof a die or patterncarrying roller 20.

Guide rollers 19 19 are mounted on a yoke 21, which is movabletransversely with respect to the axis of rotation of pattern-carryingroller 20, for example by being retained on a longitudinally movableshaft 22, so that the extent of contact of web 10 with the circumferenceof pattern roller 20 may be controlled. If shaft 22 is moved to thedashed position, so that yoke 21 and guide rollers 19*, 19 will also bein the dashed position (FIG. 1), web 10 -will be completely out ofcontact with the patterncarrying roller 20. This position will beassumed if the entire apparatus is stopped, even if only momentarily, toprevent scorching of the material if it remains in contact withpattern-carrying roller 20 since all the solvent in the web willevaporate in the region where patterncarrying roller 20 contacts theweb. A suitable interlock, not shown, may be controlled for example froma shaft 23 which supports rollers 20, whereby the interlock would permitshaft 22 to move to the dashed line position if the speed of roller 20falls below a predetermined value. Such interlocks are well known, andmay be controlled by the centrifugal force acting on the shaft 23 andsensed by a small switch to de-energize a magnetic solenoid, which whenenergized, holds shaft 22 in the solid line position against the forceof a spring, tending to retract shaft 22 into the dashed line position.Such an arrangement, in which a spring tends to move shaft 22 away fromthe heated roller, upon de-energization of an electrical element, is, ofcourse, also fail-safe in operation.

After leaving guide roller 19, web 10 is passed over another idlerroller 18', then over another tensioncontrolled arrangement, generallydesignated as reference numeral 27, which also act as compensatorssimilar to rollers 17. From the rollers 27, the web 10 is removed fromthe apparatus carrying out the present invention by means of rollers 28,and then the Web may be further applied to treatment stations, such ashot-air drying ovens to dry the non-contacted portions of the fabric,and chemical treatment stations or reducing stations, as well known inthe dyeing art, for further fixation and development of the migratedproducts.

A form of pattern-carrying roller 20 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5.It consists of a cylindrical element 30, supplied with means to heat theelement, shown for example as internal electrical heating units 31, 32suitably connected internally and brought out to electrical contacts by,for example, slip rings, as is well known in the art (and as onlyschematically indicated in FIG. 5), for further connection to a supplyof electrical power. In order to make a longitudinal stripe pattern,such as shown at 35 in FIG. 6, cylindrical body 30 is supplied with acircumferential ridge 45. Let it be assumed that the web 10 of FIG. 6 isoriginally of a neutral, such as unbleached,

slightly yellowish color, and consists of cotton twill, to be coloredwith a reactive dye, for example, Genafix Turquoise Blue FGW. Furtherexamples of solutions, and suitable temperatures and application will begiven below. The fabric 10 is thus dyed in general to a blue color. Theapplication of the dye may be at room temperature, or at elevatedtemperatures as is customary in the dyeing field. After leaving pad box12, the web may be squeezed between rollers 14, 15 to a moistureretention of about based on the weight of the material. On contactingthe web for a period of time of about half a second, with a surfacetemperature at circumferential ridge 45 of about 500 to 600 F.,approximately of the dye is moved from the back and from within the Webto the face thereof where it is being contacted by the heated roller.The face side of the material will thus have a dark turquoise stripeapplied thereto, indicated at 35, FIG. 6. The back side of the material,in the same region where the dark stripe on the face appears, will havea light stripe. Upon subsequent drying of the entire fabric, and fixing(if the dye is of such material that this is called for), the uniformgenerally blue background due to the dye distribution will be retainedwhere the material was not contacted by the ridge '45, and the extensiveand intensified, dark stripe 35' will likewise appear at the surface ofthe material.

If a pattern, such as a dark stripe interspersed with dots of lighterbackground color is desired, a ridge 46, with holes 47 (FIG. 5) isformed on the cylindrical body 30. The pattern will appear as the darkstripe 36, with background color spots 37, FIG. 6. Conversely, if darkdots are desired on material of general background color, projections 48may be patterned on the cylindrical element 30, thereby formingintensified dots 38, standing out from the background color as seen inFIG. 6. A mottled aspect can be obtained by contacting an area of thematerial with a ridge which has a knurled or serrated appearance, asshown at 49 in FIG. 5; the material will then present spots ofintensified color interspersed with spots of lighter, neutral backgroundcolor, as seen generally at 39 in FIG. 6.

The intensity of the color, that is, the extent of the migration ofdyestuffs or pigments to the surface, under the influence of contactwith the heated roller depends not only on the surface temperature ofthe particular dye pattern contacting the fabric web, but also on thetime duration. If the temperature is towards the upper range, that is,between 500 nad 1,000 F., flash evapo- 20 clean, it is contacted by awire brush 25. Experiments have shown that the lower the temperature,the greater the transfer of dye from the fabric web to the patternroller 20. At the highest temperatures, i.e. 600 to 1,000" R, where onlylittle if any transfer of dye or pigment material to the pattern roller20 occurs, there is little need for cleaning, because flash evaporation,and almost instantaneous drying, sets the pigment or dyes within thefabric web, and prevents further transfer to the pattern rollers 20. Atlower temperatures, where a lower speed, or a larger circumferentialcontact area between roller 20 and the Web '10 is required, moretransfer of dye from web 10 to pattern roller 20 results. Wire brush 25is driven in a suitable manner, schematically indicated by belt drive 26from a source of power 31.

The apparatus disclosed in FIG. 2 is similar to that of FIG. 1 exceptthat the rollers 18 and 18 are movable transversely in respective slots24 and 24 on supports 24, thereby permitting easy adjustment of thecircumferential contact area of the web to the pattern roller 20.

The apparatus in FIG. 1 has been modified as shown in FIG. 4 to producecontrasting effects on each side of the fabric. Thus, the apparatus ofFIG. 4 includes pattern rollers 20 and 20 each having a cleaning brush25, fixed guide rollers 8 and 58 and movable guide rollers generallydesignated as reference numerals 59. The guide rollers 59 are movablefrom the upper dashed position designated 59 to the lower dashedposition designated 60". Therefore, if the pattern or color intensity isto be the same on each side of the fabric, the guide rollers 59 arepositioned centrally between positions 59 and 59 However, if theintensity on one side of the fabric is to be greater than on the otherside, the guide rollers 59 are moved toward either the upper or lowerdashed position 59 or 59 depending upon which side the increased colorintensity is desired. The guide rollers may be mounted on a support formotion in a slot similar to the mounting of roller 18 or 18 hereinabovedescribed, or in any other suitable fashion well known in the art.

Various examples will now be given of suitable dyes, contact times andsurface temperatures where the web material is being contacted bypattern roller 20.

EXAMPLE 1 Reactive dye Fabric: Bleached mercerized cotton twill.

Solution in pad box 12:

3 oz./ gallon Genafix Turquoise Blue FGW 12 oz./gallon urea; 3 oz./gallon soda ash.

Padding liquid temperature: 110 F.

Moisture retention of web at 10 75%.

Time of contact with roller /2 second.

Temperature of roller 20: 600 F.

Remarks: Results show that approximately 90% of the dye was moved fromthe back to the face of the material, leaving a dye image not migratedwhere there was no contact, and clearly visible and dilferentiatedcontrast. The reverse side of the material showed the pattern innegative (i.e. reverse) form (see FIG. 7).

EXAMPLE 2 Reactive dye Fabric: Bleached mercerized cotton twill.Solution in pad box 12:

2 oz./ gallon Genafix Brilliant Yellow 3G /2 oz./ gallon Gena'fix Red BB/2 oz./ gallon Turquoise Blue F GW 12 oz./ gallon urea 3 oz./ gallonsoda ash Padding liquid temperature: 110 F.

' Moisture retention of web 10 75%.

Time of contact with roller 20: /2 second.

Temperature of roller 20: 600 F.

Remarks: The background color of the fabric is generally light brown,and the area which was contacted by the roller 20 was dark brown. Theback side of the fabric where migration occurred is russet in color.

Any type of dye may be used for the process; the use in patterns oreffects depends on the substantivity of the dye, its migrating property,its fixation to the material, and the degree of color fastness required.Ordinary vat dyes, sulfur dyes, azoic dyes, reactive dyes (as inExamples 1 and 2 above) and substantive or direct dyes are suitable.

EXAMPLE 3 Substantive or direct dye Fabric: Mercerized cotton twill.

Solution in pad box 12: 2 02/ gallon Fastusol Turquoise Blue LG 150%.

Padding liquid temperature: 160 C.

Moisture retention of web at 10 70%.

Time of contact with roller 20: 5 seconds.

Temperature of roller 20: 500 F.

Remarks: Good contrast between areas on fabric contacting and notcontacting roller 20.

6 EXAMPLE 4 Azoic dye Fabric: Mercerized cotton twill.

Solution in pad box 12: 1 oz./ gallon Naphthol ASSW dissolved by cold.

Padding liquid temperature: 200 F.

Moisture retention of web at 10 Time of contact with roller 20: 5seconds.

Temperature of roller 20: 500 F.

Remarks: After migration the fabric was passed from rollers (i.e.rollers 28, FIG. 1) into a coupling solution of 4 oz./ gallon Fast RedSalt 3GL, rinsed and dried. Good contrast and migration observed.

EXAMPLE 5 Sulfur dye Fabric: Mercerized cotton twill.

Solution in pad box 12: (Ingredients dissolved at a boil) 4 oz./ gallonKatigen Green high concentration. 4 oz./ gallon sodium sulfide flakes; 2oz./ gallon sodium carbonate.

Moisture retention of web at 10 70% Time of contact with roller 20: 5seconds.

Temperature of roller 20: 500 F.

Remarks: After migration the fabric was rinsed, oxidized with sodiumdichromate and acetic acid, rinsed and dried. Clear contrast observablewhere dye migrated to surface.

The present invention is not restricted to vat colors. Various types ofcolor (or dyes), although they may have poor printing or fixationproperties by conventional methods may be used.

EXAMPLE 6 Vat color EXAMPLE 7 Vat color Ingredients and physicalconditions same as Example 6 but color used was Indanthrene GoldenYellow RK substituted for Brilliant Indigo 4BV. Treatment aftermigration was the same as Example 6. a

Results: Migration was clearly observable with background gold andcontacted areas light brown.

EXAMPLE 8 Vat color Ingredients and physical conditions same as Example6 but color Indanthrene Brown substituted for Brilliant Indigo 4BV.Treatment after migration was the same as Example 6.

Results: Migration was observable with background light brown andcontacted areas dark brown.

7 EXAMPLE 9 Vat color Ingredients and physical conditions same asExample 6 but color Algol Orange substituted for Brilliant Indigo 4BV.Treatment after migration was same as Example 6.

Results: Migration was observable with background orange and contactedareas dark brown.

EXAMPLE 1O Vat color Ingredients and physical conditions same as Example6, but color Hydron Blue substituted for Brilliant Indigo 4BV. Treatmentafter migration was same as Example 6.

Results: Migration was observable with background purple and contactedareas navy blue.

The degree of migration which can be produced can be varied by varyingthe temperature across the roller. By suitable adjustment, or provisionof separate resistance elements within the roller, various temperaturesat the surface of the roller, and at the pattern area can be arranged.The effect on migration is most pronounced on the back of the fabric;the visual aspect of the front side, even on the cooler region, forexample, where a surface temperature of only 400 is obtained, varies butlittle from that where the surface temperature is 600. However, itappears in general that better color intensity may be obtained at thehigher temperatures. In order to provide multishade effects, for examplewith colors are temperature sensitive, the fabric may be passed over aseries of rollers having different patterns applied thereto, orcontacting strips or ridges differently placed from the strips or ridgeson another roller, and of a different temperature. An arrangement inaccordance with this embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. The web material 10,as received from a tensioning arrangement similar to roller combination17 (FIG. 1) is passed over a first guideroller combination 50, which,for example, may be at a temperature of 300 F. A subsequent guideroller-pat tern roller combination 51 is provided and the web is passedthereover. The roller of the guide roller-pattern combination 51 isheated to a different temperature, for example, 400; and the roller ofyet another guide rollerpattern roller combination 52, over which theweb is subsequently passed, may be heated to 500 F. Each one of therollers is provided with a cleaning brush 25; the general arrangement ofthe guide roller-pattern roller combinations 50, 51 52 may be similar tothat shown in FIG. 1, with the exception that variation of contactingarea can be obtained not only by lateral movement of the guide rollersupport, but because a central guide roller can be common to a pair ofpattern rollers, and swinging movement of the yokes retaining thesecentral guide rollers may be provided for.

The length of time of contact of the fabric, as before, depends on thedegree of heat radiated to the surface of the material by the heatedpattern rollers, the type of material used, and the amount of moistureto be evaporated or flashed off to achieve a particular color intensityby migration. In all cases, the fabric or the material must be removedfrom the heated surface immediately upon reaching the point of drynessto prevent scorching or other damaging effect to the material. When thecontact temperature goes to about 800 F., and approaches 1,000 F., themoisture content is evaporated to a point of dryness within a fractionof a second yet no scorching or fiber damage can be shown, provided thefabric leaves the heated pattern roller immediately upon reaching 100%evaporation of the moisture content of the fabric. The fabric need notbe smooth; ribbed material such as corduroy can likewise be treated inaccordance with the present invention. It will be observed that uponsuch treatment, the migration of color will occur to the raised portionsof the fabric and not the grooves between, for example, the wales of thecorduroy will remain back- 8 ground, non-migrated color. This results ina particularly pleasing effect.

The color intensity or the yield produced at the point of contact of thepattern roller with the wet material exceeds printing techniques. Thecause of this apparent increased yield may be due to the violent flashevaporation which takes place at the point of contact of the heatedroller with the material, producing high temperature steam vapors whichapparently increase the reaction of the products contained in the dyesolution with the material. This becomes apparent particularly whencolors obtained from Water soluble dyes which contain reducing chemicalsare flash evaporated on the fabrics at temperatures between 400 F. and750 F. The rapid evaporation at the point of contact apparently movesthe dyes, pigments or chemicals contained in the body of the fabric,which at this point in the process are not yet fixed to the surface. Theaccumulation of these substances in the restricted areas of contact withthe heated pattern roller, enhanced by the rapid evaporation ofmoisture, result in color intensities of very high yields.

Varigated controlled coloring may be achieved by dye or chemicalmigration to yarns, warps, tow or other non woven materials processed inthe same manner as described with fabrics. In addition, desirablephysical changes in these materials as well as in fabrics may beaccomplished by the use of migrating chemicals, resins, and solventsthat contain no coloring substance. For example, a web of material maybe passed through a pad box containing a weak caustic soda solutionwhich is too weak to affect subsequent dyeing. However, upon applicationof a heated die to the material, in the same fashion as heretoforedescribed on fabrics padded with dyes, migration and thus concentrationof the caustic soda solution to the contacted areas will producemercerizing effects which in a manner well known in the art may producephysical (i.e. plisse or puckering) changes in the material or ifdesired produce coloring effects in subsequent dyeing.

It should also be understood that the foregoing relates to only apreferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to coverall changes and modifications of the example of the invention hereinchosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for developing a pattern on a surface of a textile materialcomprising;

applying means to impregnate said material with a liquid substancehaving migrating properties,

a heated die having the desired pattern, and

transport means for transporting said material over said die and incircumferential contact therewith, thereby to migrate said substance tosaid surface of said material in said pattern, the speed of saidtransport means and the circumferential area of contact being soarranged so that the time of contact of said textile material with saiddie is in the range of from /2 to 5 seconds.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including control means foradjusting the liquid content of said material prior to transporting saidmaterial over said die.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 for use with a web material, whereinthe die is a pattern roller, and guide rollers are providing for guidingsaid web material around said pattern roller.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the relative position of theaxes of said guide rollers and said pattern roller are adjustable tocontrol the extent of circumferential contact of said web material andsaid pattern roller.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said pattern roller is heatedto a temperature in a range of from 400 to 1,000 F.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the speed References C e ofsaid transport means and the circumferential area of UNITED STATESPATENTS contact of said web material and said pattern roller, and2,808,635 10/1957 Parker et aL 26 18.6X the temperature of said patternroller are relatively so adjusted that liquid retained within said webmaterial is 5 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner substantiallycompletely evaporated at the area of contact of said pattern roller tosaid web material as the material leaves the contact area of saidpattern roller. 2669; 68-19.1, 22; 118101

